A Blacksmith's Tale AU: The Kidnapping
by crod42
Summary: Everything Dillon Amsdale thought he knew about Annie Leonhart was a lie. Where a beautiful girl once stood has now been replaced by the Female Titan, enemy of humanity. And she's holding him captive. His spirit is broken, but his will remains as he swears to uphold the oath he swore to humanity... even if it means losing her in the process.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Hello, everyone! Welcome to the first AU of my story. I had a feeling this one would be the most popular out of all the selections. Honestly, it's the one that has the most promise in shaking everything up in an interesting way. Either that, or I like making my OC suffer too much. It's highly likely this story will be shorter, but I hope that you will enjoy it nonetheless.**

 **There will be anime, manga, and main story spoilers ahead. I will be assuming that my readers are up to date on my story, so expect me to make several references to them in my Author's Notes.**

 **Also, I want to take this moment to give a shout-out to not just one, but TWO, co-writers. St33lStrif3, of course, and GodzillaFollower1998. The latter, I recommend you check out his story in the crossover section Attack on Titan: The Warriors of Light and Darkness. Even if you are not familiar with the other universe that is being merged with AoT, it is very newcomer friendly. Thank you both so much for helping me with this.**

 **With that, let us take a journey down a different path where we ask ourselves "What if Annie kidnapped Dillon during the Expedition?" Takes place after Chapter 18 of Blacksmith's Tale.**

 **A Blacksmith's Tale AU: The Kidnapping**

* * *

Chapter 1: Prisoner of the Female Titan

The earth shook violently as Annie Leonhart dashed through the forest in a hurry, keeping her hand on her nape in case the Scouts tried to give chase. Her mind was in turmoil thanks to her recent actions. She couldn't believe that after everything she went through, after everything she caused, she just gave up. She had Eren Yeager, humanity's last hope, right where she wanted him... and she let him go. Her mission failed because she lost the nerve to finish it. Five years of living in these damn walls, three of them undercover in their military, all the loose ends she and her cohorts had to frantically tie up. All wasted.

Letting out a frustrated growl, she focused on the most important question: what was she supposed to do now? Her first instinct was to just run back home, but there was no way the Marleyans would let her live after failing the mission. They would just execute her and give the Female Titan power to someone else, someone who was better suited to the task. She considered returning to the Walls and go into hiding, but that was too risky. It would only be a matter of time before they figured out what she was. Her Titan form was too recognizable. Armin would be able to identify her, and Dillon would be able to confirm it.

Dillon. Every time she thought of him, she felt pangs of guilt and sorrow in her heart. The way he looked at her, the way he broke down, the way he begged her not to continue her mission. Everything regarding those moments reminded her what a horrible person she was and how much he deserved better than her. He didn't need someone like her destroying his life any more than she already had.

But... at the end of the day, _she_ needed _him_. He was the only one who had taken the time to get to know her, the only one she let get close. His smile, his hit-and-miss humor, and his love that he had given to her unconditionally. There was so much to love about him... and she had thrown it away.

For a moment, the Female Titan skidded to a stop, panting heavily. She needed to rest after the exhausting day, but she had to keep moving. She had to get out. She had to leave.

 _"Promise me, no matter what happens, that you'll come home."_

Her father's words echoed in her mind once again, reminding her of the other person that she loved. No matter what he put her through, she still cared about him and didn't want to let him down. For a while, she thought that she would have to choose between her father and Dillon, but then an idea started to take hold into her mind.

No doubt, once the Marleyans discovered her failure to complete the mission, they would have her father executed as punishment. The only way to prevent that was get her father out of Liberio somehow, and go into hiding. From there, she could spend the last of her remaining years away from the war. Away from the pain.

As for Dillon, she knew that he would never be the same after this. She only had herself to blame for that, but... she wasn't ready to say goodbye. Not yet. She needed him to remain a part of her life. Unfortunately, at this point, he would never go willingly with her, but it didn't matter. She would make it up to him later somehow.

Taking a deep breath, Annie continued her run. Her mind was made up. She was going to have Dillon one way or another.

* * *

The sun was setting in the distance as the day was gradually coming to an end. What started as a drive to finally learn the truth about the Titans turned into a day of terror and death. The bodies continued to decay, blood seeping into and staining the ground. Despite the rancid smell that only flies could love, Dillon Amsdale didn't move from his spot. He continued to stare at the corpses of his squad, almost as if he was entranced. To think that the person he loved the most was responsible for this horrible act of murder. They didn't deserve to die. None of them did. How could Annie- no. The Female Titan. Annie was just a cover, a mask to hide that skinless face.

His thoughts continuously drifted to the time they shared together, cursing how gullible he was. She had played him. Played all of them. Just so that she could ensure humanity's demise at the hands of the Titans. He was forced to realize that she was nothing more than an evil beast, hellbent on killing everyone here. And that he was the ultimate fool for falling into her trap.

Then, he felt it. Vibrations getting louder and louder. His eyes widened, snapping him out of his shocked state. She was back! She was coming for him! Grabbing his swords, he dove through a window into the nearest house, taking shelter under a table. If she found him, he would not go quietly. He quickly realized that this was the worst house to hide in. Chunks of the roof were missing, and some of the walls were caved in. Almost no cover to be had.

" _ **Dillon?!"**_ the Female Titan called frantically in his mind, skidding to a stop in the village. **"** ** _Dillon, where are you?!"_**

He heard her sniffing. He had forgotten about a Titan's keen sense of smell. Dillon remained silent, praying that she would leave. As long as he stayed hidden, it would be okay. And then, he noticed that he was bleeding, glass embedded in his shoulder from jumping through the window. Not good.

Sure enough, she was getting closer to him. " ** _Please be alive,"_** she begged quietly.

So concerned. So caring. He wasn't going to fall for it. Never again. Whatever she had planned for him would fail. _Just stay quiet, and she'll go away._ He coached himself.

Instantly, that mental coaching cost him.

" _ **Dillon!"**_ the Female Titan suddenly exclaimed, sounding relieved. **"** ** _Thank God you're alive."_**

Dillon swore under his breath, angry at his carelessness. " _What do you want with me?"_ he demanded, trying to look for a way out of this mess before it could get worse as he mentally cursed himself for not severing the link when he had the chance.

" ** _I'm not going to hurt you. I promise,"_** she said slowly and calmly.

" _Bullshit!"_ he snarled, backing further into the house.

" ** _If I wanted to hurt you, why would I bother talking?"_** she pointed out.

" _Just leave me alone!"_ he implored her, trying to appeal to her humanity if she had any of it left.

" ** _I can't, Dillon. You know who I am. You've seen my face. I'm not going to hurt you or kill you, but I can't let you tell them who I am."_**

Dillon's eyes widened, realizing why she was here. This wasn't an assassination. It was a kidnapping. " _No... you can't..."_ Then, her large shadow loomed over the wrecked home. Moving quickly and quietly, he took shelter underneath the staircase, swords at the ready.

" _ **Dillon, please,"**_ she said, looking over and through the ruined house. _**"Just come out."**_

" _You killed my friends,"_ he replied, begging that someone would save him from her.

" _ **I told you: they attacked me! I acted in self-defense!"**_ she responded.

" _You could've found another way!"_ he shot back, digging himself deeper into the corner. She was so close.

" _ **Maybe,"**_ the Female Titan admitted, ** _"but what's done is done."_** With that finality, her hand busted through one of the walls and yanked away the staircase he was hiding under.

Seeing that familiar, skinless hand nearly threw him into absolute panic. With a yelp, he sliced at her hand, though she pulled it back quickly, having learned from the last time. Looking up, he could see that giant face gazing down at him with those silver-blue eyes. "Stay away! Don't come any closer!"

" ** _Dillon, I told you: I'm not going to hurt you,"_** she repeated calmly, looking at him with pleading eyes.

"I don't believe you!" he exclaimed fearfully, backing up against what was left of the wall.

" _ **If I wanted to kill you, wouldn't I have done it already?"**_

"Or maybe you want to toy with me first, like you did to Jensen!" he snarled, though his grip was wavering out of fear.

The Female Titan flinched at that reminder. _**"**_ ** _...I'll admit, I screwed up then. I could have just killed him quickly. Probably should have."_** She shook her head. **"** ** _But you know very well that if I wanted you dead, you would be."_**

Dillon clenched his eyes shut, trying to fight back the emotions building up in him again. "Then what are you going to do with me?"

" _ **...Run,"**_ she answered, moving to grab him while he was distracted.

He tried diving out of the way, but it was too late as the Female Titan's hand wrapped around him quickly and pulled him out of the house. Frantically, he attempted to stab her, but a couple of flicks from her other hand send the blades flying. "No!" he exclaimed, struggling to break out of her hand. Now, he was unarmed and at her mercy.

She brought him close to her face, slightly tightening her grip. **"** ** _I'm sorry about this, Dillon."_**

To his absolute horror, her mouth began to open, the strands keeping her jaw together snapping until it was completely unhinged. "NO!" he screamed, his eyes flashing intensely out of sheer panic. He attempted desperately to drive mental spikes right into her brain. "Let me GO!"

The Female Titan flinched with a grunt at his attack and decided to move quickly before he could get a leg up on her. She shoved him into her mouth and slammed it shut before taking off running.

Dillon was hyperventilating as he landed on her tongue. He was in a Titan's mouth. He was in _her_ mouth. He was on her slimy, disgusting tongue! Getting up as best he could, he started banging against her teeth to no avail. "Let me out! Let! Me! OUT!"

" _ **You're going to be fine, Dillon!"**_ she promised, running south rather than towards the walls.

"Please, I won't tell anyone!" he begged as he felt his body slowly become covered in saliva. "I won't say anything!"

" _ **I can't take that chance!"**_ she yelled. **"** ** _I already feel bad enough about all of this! Please don't make it worse!"_**

Letting out a pitiful whine, Dillon looked for another way to escape. He couldn't break through her teeth, and his boot knife wasn't big enough to do any REAL damage. Then, it occurred to him. Her jaw came loose to put him in her mouth. Closing his eyes, he focused on the sides of her jaw. Letting out a yell as he delivered a massive psychokinetic blast, he was awarded with a roar in pain as he felt himself sliding down her tongue and into the air. However, he was quickly caught by her hand before he could make any more progress.

" _ **Damn it, Dillon!"**_ the Female Titan exclaimed in frustration. _**"Stop fighting me!"**_

With a snarl, Dillon took out his boot knife and pulled his arm loose, throwing it at her eye. While she moved to dodge that, his eyes flashed as he struck various areas of her mind in an effort to get free. He wasn't going to be taken prisoner, much less _her_ prisoner. He was awarded with grunts of pain and blood dripping down from her nose.

Before he could do anything debilitating, however, a crystallized finger slammed into his forehead, knocking him out instantly.

* * *

Captain Levi surveyed the village, grimacing at the sight of the bodies. This was where the bloodshed seemed to end at, but as to why, he didn't know. The answer was eluding him, and that made him more irritated than he was at almost failing. What the hell happened here that caused the Female Titan to start letting people live?

Thinking about that giant bitch made his blood boil. He knew this Expedition was a ruse to lure the traitor out in the open, but they had severely underestimated the tenacity of the enemy. As a result, the Scout Regiment suffered heavy losses despite her sudden acts of restraint, the Female Titan got away, his squad was humiliated and short a good man, Oluo Bozado, and they were going to lose Eren to the MPs due to this catastrophic failure. Next time he saw her, he was going to destroy her Titan body, and dice up her real one, come hell or highwater.

"Captain, we found another body just outside the village," one of the Scouts announced, riding up to him. "It's Darius."

It was subtle, but Levi's expression changed to concern. "Are you sure that it was him?"

The Scout nodded. "Positive, sir. His body was mostly intact... and there's something else."

"Spit it out."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a boot knife. "We found this near some recent Titan tracks that match the Female Titan's. Judging by its appearance, it was used."

Levi snatched the knife out of his hands, examining it. He had seen this craftsmanship before. His suspicions were confirmed when he saw an engraving on the hilt: **D.A.**

"...Get Darius's body prepped for transport." He ordered after a moment. "He's coming home."

"Yes, sir!"

Once the Scout left him alone, Levi's mind began racing as he continued to stare at the knife. This was the same squad that he assigned Dillon in, and the kid was nowhere to be found. If he was anything like his parents, he wouldn't have gone down without a fight, and he doubted he would run even if ordered to. Two possibilities came to mind: he was dead, and his body was nowhere to be found, or... he was taken. Something in his gut told him the last one seemed more likely, but for what reason, he didn't know. What would a Titan Shifter want with Amsdale, of all people? Either way, he dreaded the conversation that he would eventually have with Carolyn and Matthew. They did so much for the scouts, and in return, he couldn't even keep their only child safe.

Sighing, he pocketed the knife. There was nothing he, or anyone else, could do for him now. If Dillon was kidnapped, he was on his own. Letting out a growl, Levi took off to rejoin the others. _Should've killed her when I had the chance._

* * *

If there was one thing that Jean Kirstein would never get used to, it would be gathering the bodies of the fallen. Trost was an experience that he never wanted to revisit, and now here he was, doing the same thing. At least a third, possibly more, of the Scouts had died, no doubt because of the Female Titan, and they had to retreat with their tails between their legs. All that hope of possibly getting a better leg-up on the monsters was crushed before their very eyes.

"Careful, Jean," Armin warned as he almost dropped one of the bodies that they had been carrying.

Coming back to the present, he let out a grunt as he placed it in the wagon with the others. "I don't know what's worse. The fact that we just suffered a devastating blow, or the fact that there's someone actually working with the Titans to kill us all."

"It doesn't make sense," he agreed sadly. "And yet, the evidence was right there."

"... . How many, Armin? How many did we lose here?"

"I don't know, Jean. Dozens of bodies, at least. And we don't know how many are missing."

 _Missing..._ And then it struck Jean, his eyes widening in horror. How could he have forgotten? How could he not have seen it sooner? He was too focused on how badly things were screwed up that he completely missed it. "Where's Dillon?"

Armin froze, coming to the same realization. "I... I haven't seen him."

The brown-haired teen shook his head, gripping his hair as panic began to build in his body. "No, no, no. Not him!"

"...Jean, you don't think he's-?"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence!" Jean exclaimed, a fire in his eyes that threatened to burn Armin to a crisp. "You hear me!?"

His loud voice was getting the attention of the other Scouts, including Connie and Sasha, but he didn't care... at least until Captain Levi approached him.

"The hell are you shouting about?" he demanded.

Hoping that he was wrong, Jean quickly jumped out of the wagon and asked, "Sir, have you seen a fellow cadet? Dillon Amsdale? Uh, brown hair, brown eyes-!"

"I know who Dillon Amsdale is. Keep it down," Levi interrupted, his expression not betraying the grief he felt. "He's among the six that are listed as missing in action."

"Missing in... what?" _This is not happening. Not again!_

"...Dillon's gone?" Sasha asked quietly once she got close enough.

Connie was too stunned to speak, unable to comprehend the loss of another friend.

The captain let out a sigh. "We couldn't find his body. He was either swallowed whole, or wandering somewhere that we haven't checked. Either way, there's nothing we can do."

Jean clenched his fist, trying to contain his anger. He already lost Marco in Trost, and now he lost Dillon because of this damned Expedition. "...You mean to tell me that he might still be alive... and we're just gonna leave him to die?"

"What do you want me to say, Kirstein?" Levi questioned, his voice low and intimidating. "We're going to send another search party into Titan-infested territory, get them all killed while those monsters kill the rest of us because we decided to wait? Don't be so stupid as to believe either myself or Commander Erwin would give that order. All it would do is waste time and lives. Nothing more." It was subtle, almost unnoticeable, but there was a twinge of sympathy that crept into his tone. "Sorry... but unless miracles suddenly exist, he's as good as dead out there."

Jean struggled to not lose it as Levi walked away from him to finish up. "It was her," he growled with a clenched fist. "That bitch did this."

"Jean-." Connie started, not getting the chance to finish.

With a frustrated yell, Jean slammed his fist into the side of the wagon, panting heavily. His hand stung from the impact, but he ignored it. A bruise was insignificant compared to the loss.

"That's another life that she will pay for," a familiar voice stated.

The cadets glanced over at Mikasa, who had overheard Jean, approaching them.

"Until then, we can grieve once we're behind the Walls." Her eyes landed on Jean, who had a couple of tears streaming down his face. "Dillon was a good soldier, Jean. For what it's worth, I'm sorry he's gone."

It took every ounce of willpower and then some for Jean to be contained as he brushed off the tears. His body begged for an outlet to release all the pain within him, but it would do more harm than good in the grand scheme of things. Judging by the looks on his comrades' faces, they felt some of the pain he did. Dillon was an integral part of their lives for better and for worse, and to have him gone was like losing a part of themselves.

And then, a mortifying thought occurred to him. Someone was going to have to tell Annie about his fate. He could only imagine how much the news would break her. And he really didn't want to be there when she did…

* * *

It wasn't easy, avoiding Titans with her energy nearly giving out. It had been a terribly long day for her, with the damage her Titan form suffered, having to get it eaten in order to escape before transforming almost immediately after, and, of course, fighting an enraged Eren Yeager on top of everything. Despite all of that, she managed to escape the mindless beasts while keeping Dillon safe.

At long last, nightfall came soon after Annie cleared the sightlines of Trost, the moon being the only source of light in the darkness. She extracted an unconscious Dillon from her mouth to prevent herself from dropping him as she panted heavily. The hellish day was finally over, though she had a distinct feeling that things would not be getting easier, especially once he was awake. With a tenderness to her touch and a sadness in her eyes, she brushed the saliva that coated his entire body off his face. It was the least she could do for him. She couldn't help but wince at the sight of the bruised welt forming on his forehead. She didn't want to hurt him, but it was the only way to keep him from escaping and getting himself killed.

Cupping both hands around him, she began walking towards a small village in the distance. There was no shortage of villages throughout Wall Maria, so finding shelter wouldn't be too much of a problem. Hopefully, finding water would be just as simple. If memory served, this was eastern area, meaning that getting to the Wall itself wouldn't take long. It was just a matter of making sure they survived whatever Titans roamed the District.

She found the most intact house she could and carefully placed Dillon into it through a hole in the roof. It wasn't clear as to how long he would remain like that, but she couldn't take any chances. Backing away and keeling down, Annie's finger hardened as she reached for her nape. With a sickening slicing sound, she quickly tore it open completely, exposing her real body to the world. She pulled her body out of the strands of flesh that kept her attached before stumbling to the ground. Free at last.

Ignoring the red marks on her face, she entered the house and got to work. She removed the Scout cloak and jacket she stole, revealing a pack that she had brought with her. Inside were some rations that would be enough for the journey home, a canteen, a spare knife, and quite a bit of rope. This was supposed to be for Eren, but now, it would restrain Dillon.

Carefully, she prodded him with her foot to make sure that he wasn't playing possum, but it was clear that he wasn't going to wake up soon. She took off his cloak and jacket and tossing those saliva-covered garments aside before grabbing a chair from the dining room. With what remained of her strength, which was thankfully enhanced due to her abilities, she hoisted him into the chair before tying his hands around it. Her conscience screamed at her to stop this, but her pragmatic side won over. Comfort was going to be an unaffordable luxury for a while.

Once she tightened the bonds, Annie sighed as she silently went to the nearby bed and laid down. If she wasn't so exhausted, she would've let loose her emotions, but she really didn't have the energy anymore. She knew a peaceful sleep would be out of the question, and she welcomed whatever nightmares that came her way. No matter what pain they caused her, they would do nothing to fix the irreparable damage she caused on humanity, to her friends... to Dillon. At the very least she managed a single tear to fall from her face. There was apparently a part of her that was still human after all.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Happy New Year, everybody! Hope you all enjoy the next chapter.**

* * *

Chapter 2: Biting Back

Morning arrived at last, the sun shining down upon the village. Its rays poked through the holes and what was left of the windows of the houses. One of the rays hit Dillon in the face, prompting him to slowly awaken from his painful sleep. Memories of the previous day immediately came to mind, especially once he felt the disgusting sensation of his clothes covered in dried-up saliva. His first instinct was to move, but he quickly realized the position he was in. Ropes had his hands tightly knotted behind the chair he was sitting in. Grunting, he opened his eyes, revealing the blurry world before him. Once things started clearing up, he could see the familiar figure of Annie Leonhart standing in front of him, but it was not the one he knew. While she retained that blonde hair and fit body he knew intimately, her eyes were like that of a doll's: glassy and empty.

"Hello, Dillon," she greeted, her voice formal and distant.

His response was the opposite. With a furious snarl, he tugged at the restraints, but they wouldn't budge an inch. Despite the obvious fact that he couldn't escape, he continued to pull as hard it he could, ignoring the pain it brought to his wrists.

"Don't bother," she said, her voice still retaining that emotionless quality much like how they had met three years ago. "You'll need a knife to cut through those knots. Right now, you'll just wasting your energy."

Seeing that she was right, Dillon ceased his attempts at escape and settled for glaring at his captor, panting a bit.

Annie stared back at him, meeting his glower with an expression of apathy that could have impressed Captain Levi. Taking hold of the chair behind her, she dragged it with her before turning it and falling into it. Now seated before him, Dillon watched mutely as she moved her blonde fringe out of her eyes. He felt a dark, sudden urge to reach out and tear it off her scalp.

"We need to talk," she stated bluntly.

"Where am I?" he questioned, his voice hoarse.

"Far from any distractions."

Dillon snorted at that answer. '"Distractions.' You didn't have a problem dealing with them yesterday."

Annie regarded him for a moment. "…You're angry."

"Wow. Great observation. You can file that under, 'No shit.'"

"Dillon…" There was a flux of emotion in her otherwise colorless voice. "…you need to calm down and listen to me."

"Or what?" he dared, ignoring his survival instincts. "You'll cut me up? Rip my limbs off? Eat me again?"

"I only did that to keep you from struggling," she explained. "You weren't in any danger."

"Well, guess what? I make it a habit to not deal with genocidal sadists, so if you would kindly fuck off, that'd be great." The more he talked, the more he felt his energy return to him. As long as she didn't do anything to interfere with that, he'd be able to get out of this.

There was a flash of hurt in Annie's eyes before they returned to being orbs of ice. "You know I can't do that, Dillon. I won't let you put my survival at risk. Not now. Not after everything." There it was again, that flux, only now hushed as if she was telling a secret.

"It's always been about you the whole time, hasn't it?" he accused. "Screw everyone else, am I right?"

"My survival has always been my top priority. To make it back home to-!" She suddenly broke off, and Dillon was certain that he didn't imagine the fear that bloomed minutely in her eyes before she composed herself. "I won't let anyone get in my way. Not even you."

Unfortunately for her, he didn't give a damn about those emotions. All that mattered was stalling just a little bit longer. Still, he couldn't help but wonder, "Then why go through the trouble of kidnapping me? You could've just ran, but you decided to drag me along on this little venture."

"I... I couldn't leave you behind, not like that. Not with you thinking I was a monster." A mirthless laugh left her lips and her lowered eyes went distant. There was something disturbingly childlike about her voice as she muttered to herself, "Sorry, Dad. But he can't be my enemy. He can't."

Dillon just stared at her, more than a little disturbed. "…You're out of your mind."

"Maybe," she conceded, moving her shoulders slightly as if to shrug.

He sighed, shaking his head. "Well, don't worry. I don't think you're a monster." Immediately, his tone went stone cold as his eyes began to glow. "I _know_ you are!"

Eyes widening, Annie made to lunge at him, but a psychic blast sent flying into and through a fragile wall as Dillon's bonds snapped. Now free, he jumped out of the nearest window, the adrenaline rush kicking in as he tried to find a way out of this mess. If Annie shifted, his escape attempt would be for naught.

"Dillon!" a pissed off Titan Shifter yelled from behind him.

Thinking fast, he psychokinetically shattered the window of the house in front of him while sneaking into the one behind it via the door. Now, he had time to prepare.

* * *

Being a Titan Shifter meant that Annie's level of durability was greater than that of human. While the blast felt like she had been rammed by a horse, she was quickly on her feet. Her eyes locked onto the broken window and her heart solidified in her chest. Then, rage flowed through her like river. If that idiot thought that he could escape, she would prove him wrong… painfully.

She leapt out the window in an instant, examining her surroundings. She saw the broken window ahead of her, but she knew Dillon was smarter than to hide in the first house he saw. Slowly, she took a deep sniff of the air. Even in her current form, her senses were far greater than the average human, and she knew his scent, which was heading away from the house. She found herself smiling, excitement pumping through her body, just like before as she made her run for was the soldier facade, well-groomed and smothering.

 _"Sorry, Dillon,"_ she thought as she began tracking him down, moving past his attempt at misdirecting her, _"but I can still smell you."_

A glimmer of fear passed through their link. Clearly, her change in tone was unnerving him. _"So…_ this _is who you are."_

 _"You really thought you knew me, didn't you?"_

 _"It must have been so easy for you to play me. I was so gullible!"_ Dillon exclaimed, understandably angry.

Annie was closing in on the house. _"You're half-right. I thought you were a naïve fool, the kind that would break after their first mission. Playing nice with you was easier than having to put with Eren's temper tantrums."_ The door was right before her as a scowl appeared on her face. _"Letting you get close to me... that was the mistake. MY mistake."_

 _"And now, you want me out of the way,"_ he replied. _"After_ _all, I have the power to put a big dent in your plans. That's why you really kidnapped me. All that talk about how you didn't want to hurt me, didn't want me to see you as the monster you are, it's all bullshit, just like everything you've ever said to me."_

Anger shot through Annie, flowing through her veins like molten heat and seeping into her vision like a red haze. His constant blindness to the facts staring him in the face was becoming intolerable. He was so wrapped up in his delusions that he refused to think. A fight, then, was all that was left to convince him.

She took a dozen or so steps back, her eyes locked on the door before here. Once she was a good enough distance away, she took a deep breath. She was a warrior made of diamond. She was unbreakable, incorruptible, unaffected by the frailties of human emotion. She locked out the tiny voice of a little girl, the girl that wanted to go home. The girl that only realized that her father truly loved her before _they_ took her away from him. The little girl that didn't want to hurt him. Once that voice was drowned in the red haze, she charged. She jumped, leg stuck out before her and the door shattered inwards like glass.

The moment she landed on the ground, a sharp pain appeared in the leg, eliciting a pained cry from her lips. Looking down, there was a knife embedded in her leg so deep that in came out the other side. This time, she was cursing her foolishness. So focused on capturing him that she failed to remember that most houses would still have kitchen knives. There was a rapid movement, causing her head to shoot back up as she saw Dillon kick down the back door, fleeing from her.

Shifting was an option that Annie was so tempted with. Being larger than others, to crush her enemies under her feet like ants was as intoxicating as it was sickening. Enjoying the rush of combat was the only way she could keep her sanity, what little left of it there was, but she knew that becoming the Female Titan would just be too easy. She wanted to fight him, this creature that was so different than anything else this world had to offer, as herself. So, biting down a roar of pain as she tore the knife free of her calf, she took off after him. She felt her wound burn and tingle as it sealed shut, leaving only a bloody smear and a tear in her uniform.

Her target was in sight despite the head start he had, and all too suddenly she was reminded of trees that seemed to touch the sky and emerald eyes staring back at her in mortal horror. What a long and thrilling chase that had been, despite the events of the day. She knew that this one would be much shorter given his exhaustion. Sure enough, Dillon slipped and tumbled to the ground, causing her smirk to return. It was almost disappointing that it had to end so soon, but the fact that he wouldn't be able to get away was more than enough to make up for it.

Annie was almost upon him as she prepared to deliver a savage kick to his head that would have him out cold only for him to stop short and his fist to shoot out and catch her right in the gut. The force of the blow sent her sprawling to her stomach, gripping her chest as Dillon slowly rose, getting into a fighting stance.

"And here I thought you were better than that," Dillon taunted coldly.

Fueled by her fury, Annie got to her feet faster than either expected and moved her fists up for battle, stalking towards him in her own stance. Dillon threw a punch that she ducked under easily, straightening in time to grab the following cross punch. Her grip firm, she brought her fist up into Dillon's elbow. His cry of pain meant nothing to her as she then smacked down the arm with her right hand and her left elbow jutting up to strike him in the chin, sending him stumbling back. There was a distinct smell in the air and looking at him, she quickly identified it: blood.

This was a far cry from the last time they fought. Back then, they held back as to not do irreparable harm to one another. It was more like a well-choreographed dance. However, those days were over as Dillon growled dangerously. The gloves had come off. He dodged to the left, avoiding one of her kicks, as he got in close and kicked her in the stomach, doubling her over. A haymaker sent her back further followed by a running jump kick that landed savagely on the side of her head, causing her to tumble across the ground.

Most people wouldn't think of Annie, what with her size and off-putting personality, to be durable. But her Titan physiology extended to her human body and the pain she felt faded with a dull buzz that only continued increasing her rage. She was on her feet again and grabbed Dillon's incoming hook with her hand, driving her forearm into his arm. She then altered her arm's position and drove her elbow into his nose. Without pausing for a breath, she maneuvered herself under his arm and smacked Dillon's legs from under him from behind. Throwing his arm over her shoulder added to the momentum of her throw and he slammed into the ground hard, all of the force directed onto his stomach. She paused for a moment, backing away as she watched him sputtered dazedly and hack blood before getting to his hands and knees. She decided to repay him a bit. Charging forward, her knee caught mercilessly in the jaw and he was sent sprawling onto his back.

Groaning in pain, he spat blood out of his mouth and he struggled to get up. "...You were always... a damn good fighter. It's one of the reasons... why I thought highly of you."

"And you never give up. It's why I respected you." The battle was already over; the rest was mere detail. One roundhouse kick would finish this, knock him out cold, but that little voice in her skull had broken through the red haze. In fact, the haze was almost completely gone. Perhaps now, he would listen to her. "Stop this now... and come back with me. Let me-."

"NO!" His eyes shined brightly as he attacked her once more. Moving quicker than she could react, he landed a punch across the side of her face. This time, it was fueled by his psychic energy, making her feel like she got kicked by a horse. Her other cheek received the same treatment, blood flying out of her mouth and a tooth as a result. With a yell of fury, Dillon raised his leg and performed a dropkick on her ribs, breaking them as she went flying a good distance. "Never again!"

Well, _this_ was different. True pain flooded Annie's chest, making it nearly impossible for her to breath. She could feel her ribs shift inside her, moving back into position and burning as they fused shut. When compared to wounds on the outside, internal wounds were a far more grueling matter when healing.

She snarled, rolling around to get on her hands and knees, angered by her own slip up. What a fool she had been. A fight wasn't over until the other person stopped moving!

Before she could formulate a new plan of attack, he was on top of her, a steely right-hand clamping around her throat as he hoisted her to her feet. Then his left fist slammed repeatedly into her diaphragm, disrupting her still healing ribs. Her cries of pain seemed to do as little for him as his did for her. As his fist pulled back for another strike, she turned her whole body to the right, getting her leg up to catch him in the chin. They fell together, him on his back, her on her front as she spun in their descent. She moved on top of him now, striking his own chest with a fist. She wanted him to know what a broken rib felt like. With what must have a burst of psychic energy, he smacked away her arm as she pulled back for a strike before giving her a punch to the face that sent her reeling. They both climbed to their feet as fast as they could, becoming two dueling whirlwinds of punches and kicks that were evaded or blocked by the other. Dillon managed to block a punch, responding with one that made her see white spots before he spun around her and drove his right elbow into the back of her head. She went face first onto the ground, cursing.

"You can't beat me like that," he stated in a raspy voice, taking a few steps back. "Why don't you make things interesting... Titan?"

 _Titan?_ Annie looked over her shoulder, into his eyes. She loved his eyes, a strong shade of brown like his hair. They always gleamed with friendliness, cheerful and full of life, beguiling the strength and commitment that he held yet never flaunted. But none of that was there now. Instead there was a horrid mix of despair and rage that bled into his face and contorted his features into a vicious scowl. Annie recognized that look. She knew it was the same she had five years ago and suddenly she saw herself, under a tree as she stomped on Reiner's face over and over again. She remembered her words, her fury and terror, and that's when she finally understood. Cutting through the red haze in her mind and striking somewhere deep and raw in her chest, she thought blankly. _He wants to die. Dillon, you… you_ want _me to kill you?_

And it was in that realization in which she finally understood why he refused to listen to reason, why he tried to provoke her, why he held nothing back. He felt it was all on her. Only her. And he was right. She had done this. She had driven him to this. She had pushed him to the absolute edge of rationality because, finally, when she could have changed the outcome of it all for the better, when she could have gone away with him to live her life, when she should have been thinking about _them_ and what _they_ could have had, she had only been thinking about herself. Herself and her father. It was in that moment of burning realization that she finally understood just how wretched a monster she had become.

But even as she embraced this pain and let it burn into her soul, she was past rage and it developed into a white fury. She could accept that she had done this to him, but she would _not_ be his executioner. She refused to let him quit, to give up and die when she still retained some feeble hope for them. The fire spread through her limbs, all of the pain being washed away as she found herself rising to her feet. _I'm not going to kill you, Dillon._ She thought. _But I_ am _going to beat within an_ inch _of death for being_ such _an asshole..._

Coughing out blood, Dillon shakily put his fists back up, ready for her counter attack. "Compared to you... what are we? Just minor inconveniences. Pests. Bugs. Hopefully, my power will be enough… to stop you… to save them."

Annie turned to face him, relishing the flinch he gave as he saw the fury in her eyes. She idly wondered how her expression looked. The thought was overshadowed by her disappointment. She had hoped to give him a proper beating, but it seemed he was completely running out of steam, now just clinging to the life he wanted to lose. How pathetic. How sickening. _Where's that confidant young man who spat in my face three years ago, who talked about hope and making a difference?_

Clenching her fist, she stated in a low, furious tone, "You have _no idea_ how _disappointed_ I am in you."

Spinning clockwise, she delivered her right heel to his face and Dillon went down. He did not get up. Annie could see that he was still breathing, just out cold. All at once, the rage left, leaving a cold, aching void that threatened to engulf her. Only the world was witness to Annie Leonhart's tears, to the choked sob that ripped through her lips as her hands raked through her hair. "Damn it, Dillon," she spat quietly, wondering how everything had fallen apart so brilliantly. "Damn it."

* * *

(Yarckel District)

News about the Scout Regiment's spectacular failure spread through the country faster than a plague. Whereas the people were once evenly split about the idea of Eren Yeager becoming the Savior of Humanity, now a significant percentage of the optimists joined the realists and the pessimists, believing that it was a foolhardy move that got them nowhere. They were right back where they started. Due to this, Eren was going to be transferred to the Military Police where he would be studied, interrogated, dissected and probably executed, in that order.

It was these things that had Carolyn Amsdale in a VERY bad mood as she frantically gathered her notes. The Scout Regiment was the only military force that was trying to free the people from the Titans, and now the people were trying to take that away from them. They did not fight tooth and nail to keep Eren alive just so he could get dissected by the MP goons.

"Honey, are you sure this is the best idea?" Matthew asked, concerned for his wife's wellbeing.

"I'm not going to let Eren get executed," Carolyn stated, making sure her notes were neatly put together in her briefcase. "He's done too much for us."

"You heard Darius," he pointed out sadly. "There's too much stacked against the Scouts because of the Expedition."

She slammed the top of her briefcase shut, hitting him with a glower. "They are condemning an innocent boy to death, Matthew. You know as well as I do he's the best hope these people have at survival. Without him, all is lost."

The blacksmith knew when to admit defeat, especially when she was right. Heaving a sigh, he nodded. "Alright. If worse comes to worse, we'll break him out and go into hiding."

"Sounds familiar," she said dryly.

As Carolyn prepared to leave, however, there was a loud knock at the door.

"Sorry. Shop's closed for the day!" Matthew called out.

"I'm afraid I must insist," came a deep, familiar voice.

Eyes widening, Carolyn opened the door. "Erwin!"

The commander of the Scouts stood before her, looking rather exhausted and tired. All things considered, it would've been far more surprising if he wasn't. "May I come in?"

"Of course," she answered, letting him inside as she shut the door.

Erwin tightened the cloak around his body as took the silent offer to sit in the chair across from the couch Carolyn and Matthew currently occupied. One look at her told the commander everything. "I know what you are planning, Carolyn, and I must insist you stay out of it for the sake of your family."

"You know I can't do that," she said. "Eren's life is at risk. If they get their hands on him-."

"They won't," he assured firmly. "We have a plan in place for him, but you can't risk your life and your career for this. It won't solve anything." He raised his hand to stop her from interjecting. "I'm not just here because of that. I need to speak with you about your son."

The parents grew tense at that. Because of Matthew's mental connection, they knew that Dillon was alive, though he wasn't able to pick up on emotion or pain. They had the link set up that way to give each other their privacy.

"What happened?" Matthew questioned.

"…He was kidnapped."

Carolyn's eyes widened in horror. "What!? How!? Why!?"

"As you've heard, the Expedition was attacked by the first Female Titan," Erwin explained. "Due to her actions, we were able to deduce that she was a Titan Shifter like Eren is."

"I... I don't understand. What would a Titan Shifter want with our son?" Carolyn asked.

Erwin let out a very soft sigh. "...It was Annie."

They stared at him, dumbfounded by the revelation.

"Annie?" Matthew repeated. "As in Annie Leonhart?"

"Yes."

"She... she was working with the Titans," Carolyn said quietly.

He shook his head. "We don't think so. She targeted Eren specifically."

Matthew clenched his fist as fury coursed through his body. "I let her into my home. We let her into our lives. And now, she's taken our son!"

"Calm down," Erwin said quietly.

Matthew sprang from the couch, looking ready to throttle the Scout commander. "Don't you dare tell me to calm down, Erwin! We just lost our son! Our only child! The one person we love most in this world! Of course I'm going to be mad as hell! If you have a problem with that, then you can get out of my house!"

"Matthew, stop!" Carolyn pleaded in a shaky voice, grabbing his hand and pulling him down to prevent him from attacking. "Please." She looked at Erwin, tears falling down her face. "Tell us we can save him. Tell us we can bring him home."

And here came the worst part of the news. "I am sorry, Carolyn. It's too late."

That did it. Carolyn finally broke down while Matthew held her as he tried to keep it together, halfway between raging to the heavens and collapsing in tears. "No... please, no," she wept, burying her face in her hands.

This was a textbook example as to why Erwin hated informing families of his soldiers' deaths in person. Watching them break down as they were forced to come to terms with the loss was never easy, nor something he would ever get used to. The only silver lining was that they weren't placing the blame on him or the Scouts like other families did, yet that thought offered him no comfort. The Amsdale's had no reason to be broken apart like this. They didn't deserve it. He rose up to take his leave, having felt he had done enough damage. "I am sorry."

"…Promise me something," Matthew managed out as his own tears threatened to erupt from his eyes, though that anger was still present. "If Annie ever comes back…"

"We will treat her like any other traitor," Erwin swore with a before leaving the Amsdale's to grieve. Quietly and stoically, he made his way out the door, closing it slowly behind him.

"That went about as well as I expected," Levi, who had been waiting on the stairs, muttered.

Erwin let out a sigh, massaging his forehead to try and calm the headache he had developed. The stress was starting to get to him.

Levi stared at the district. "You know what's funny? Amsdale's kidnapping was out of our control, and we told them it would be that way... but not being able to bring him home after everything those two have done for us..." He shook his head. "Senseless thinking, yet it's crossing my mind."

"You aren't alone in that, Levi," Erwin stated gravely as the two descended down the stairs.

"Plan's in place to keep Eren out of their hands," he informed him. "He'll be safe."

"Good. And the potential traitors?"

"Still looking into that, though it's gonna take some time. Most of our resources are being dedicated to the fallout and the possibility of all of us getting labeled as traitors." He let out a derisive snort. "Bet those pigs are gonna love that."

"Eren's survival is too important for that," Erwin reminded him. "Until we can prove that Eren's abilities are invaluable to the cause, we have no choice but to pursue this to the bitter end."

Levi shook his head. "If you insist." He took to the skies on his ODM, leaving Erwin behind. Judging by how quickly he left, he was ready to go vent his frustration somewhere.

Erwin rubbed the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes. "And here I thought the Expedition five years ago went poorly. Now, it's gotten far worse…"

* * *

(Wall Maria Territory)

Pain was the first sensation Dillon came to know when he regained consciousness. Unsurprising, given the vicious fight he had earlier. What did surprise him was the fact that he was missing his shirt and the wounds had bandages on them. Still, it wasn't going to fix the cracked ribs or the general fatigue. So weak. So sore. So... helpless. What Dillon wouldn't give for some strength... or at least someone to rescue him. He knew that neither of those things wouldn't happen as long as Annie had him.

Speak of the devil, the door opened, revealing the blonde menace. "You're awake," she stated, her voice flat and toneless.

"...What do you want?" he questioned. "To wag your finger at me while saying how disappointed you are again?" At least his wit was still intact, however damaged.

Wordlessly, Annie walked over to him. His mouth shut as he glared at her, daring her to do something to him. She continued to close the distance between them, grabbing a chair by its back. Its legs ground noisily against the floor, yet he remained silent, a stark contrast from the last time she saw him. No more was he going to break in front of her. Right now, all he had to do was wait for another opportune moment. Annie placed the chair near his bedside, up near his head, and silently fell into it. She kept her expression carefully neutral, saying nothing. His brown eyes met her blue.

"...Well?"

The space between her thin brows creased. "I said wanted to explain this to you. I still do. I just..." She looked away. "I don't know where to begin."

"How long were you planning this?" he questioned.

A good a place to start as any, she supposed. "I didn't plan this. _We_ didn't plan this. Do you honestly think we would willing wish death on thousands of people? I know you're smart, Dillon, so _think_ before you answer me."

"...I don't know," Dillon admitted. "After all, the woman sitting in front of me is a stranger. I have no idea who she is."

She suppressed the dark, angry thoughts his anger enticed. "We were given orders to come here, by our superiors. We were the top four among others to be selected for the mission."

"Whose orders? Titans have a leader now?"

"...Our orders came from people, Dillon. As human as you and-" She stopped herself, knowing that she would have foolishly angered him if she included herself. "As human as you and your people."

Then, it started hitting him as things started becoming clear. "Wait... you mean to tell me...?"

"I come from far beyond your Walls, beyond this... island. My people know of yours and have for centuries, but yours wouldn't know of ours due to the isolation in the walls."

He wanted to deny her, deny that being a possibility, and yet... it made sense. Somehow, other humans were controlling the Titans to kill them, and they sent a trio of Shifters to help out with the task. There were soft noises coming from Dillon that Annie had to strain to hear. The sound increased just a little bit, but she could tell that he was chuckling.

"...Dillon?" She asked, concern fluttering into her voice.

"How ironic," he said, shaking his head with a grin. "What's beyond the Walls? Humans that want us dead."

"What you all know as 'the world' is really just an island, a small bit of rock before countless other continents. If you were to go past your Walls, you'd eventually reach the borders and see the sea."

"So, why do they want us dead, huh? Why'd they send you and the Titan Brigade for a country that's on the edge of collapse?"

"We were sent to reclaim The Founding Titan, to remove something that could posibbly threaten the entire world. It's a power that can only be used by the Fritz family, a line of royal Eldians. The descendants of Ymir Fritz."

He stared at her as if she grew a second head. "...what?"

"Which part don't you get?"

"What Founding Titan? You mean Eren?"

"God, _no!_ " Annie didn't bother to hide the shudder _that_ idea gave her. "If that fool had that kind of power, we would have left long ago. No, Eren is the Attack Titan. How he has this power, we still don't know. We were told it was lost, years ago."

"But that had to be the reason why you were there during the Expedition," he pointed out.

"Eren's the first great find we've had in years. We decided that, if we couldn't find the Coordinate, we'd take him instead. Perhaps, we thought, our superiors would pardon us for failing the mission in return for finding one of the lost Titan Powers."

"...Let me get this straight: you and your cohorts came to this place to find some mystical Titan power, killed 20% of the population, not including the lives lost in Trost, mind you, and then decided to kidnap Eren while bathing in the blood of innocents on the off-chance that maybe, just maybe, you can live a happy life?" He glared at her once more. "You must be really fucking idiotic to think that's a good plan."

Annie was getting really sick of his attitude. "You don't understand. You're not _seeing_ it for our perspective. We don't have a choice!"

"So, you and the other bastards are doing this to save your own skins?"

She scoffed at his ignorance. "...You think _we're_ being threatened with death? Dillon, there are some things far worse than death. It's not _us_ who are at risk, it's our _families._ If we return empty handed, they'll pay the price for our failings. We'll simply be replaced by any new candidates they've got lined up back home."

Finally, he shut up, letting that information sink in. "...Your father?"

Her eyes gleamed with satisfaction. "Now you're using your head. If I don't succeed, my Dad dies. What would you do for _your_ family, Dillon? Your perfect, little family?"

He glowered at her, knowing that she had him there... for the moment. "So... you're trading me in for your father?"

A groan nearly left her lips. "No, you idiot. I want you to help me _save_ my father."

"...And what makes you think I will help you?"

She stared incredulously at him. "Have you listened to a word I said?"

"Of course I did, but you left out the part where the Armored and Colossal Titans continue destroying this place until everyone is dead, including my family and friends." He glared at her. "What makes you think I'm going to abandon them to _their_ deaths?"

He had her there. Damn. She forgot that he wasn't nearly as selfish as she was. "We can't stop them. Their drive to complete the mission is absolute. The moment they're discovered, they'll attack without mercy."

"Then I'll kill them," he stated without hesitation.

"You'll die."

"I'm still alive, and you haven't killed me. At full strength, you're nothing to me. They won't stand a chance."

There was some truth to that, she knew. The powers he had were something they had never been trained to deal with. She decided to try a different angle: "Why do you care whether or not they take Eren? If they get him, they'll leave. One life in exchange for the rest of them. Besides, last time I checked, you didn't care for Eren or his sister Ackerman."

He chuckled mirthlessly. "Wow. That was... you really must be the biggest dumbass in history."

She stared at him, a bit taken aback.

He took a breath and began. "Let me speak slowly so that you understand me: if you and the others just wanted this 'Founding Titan,' you could've simply infiltrated the Walls under false identities, found said Titan, and left. Instead, you break down Maria, cause the deaths of 20% of the population, break down Rose and get a lot of people who trusted you killed, and then finally attack the scouting regiment and kill dozens more. I sincerely doubt the people who sent you want us to live, because they are apparently as diplomatic as a parasite. You know, diplomacy? Talking things out as opposed to fighting them out? Oh, and let me make something abundantly clear, you self-absorbed sack of shit." He gave her the deadliest glare he had ever given. "I may not like Eren or Mikasa that much, but I would protect them with my life if I had to, because THAT'S the oath I took as a soldier! So, take your 'solutions', and shove them up your ass until you vomit!"

Finally, Annie snapped, getting right in his face. "Who are you to judge me!? You haven't been where I've been, you haven't seen what I've seen, done what I've done. I did horrible things because it was my only way out and now the one person I care about in these damn walls is calling me a monster and wants to kill me!"

Dillon didn't even flinch, giving her a pointed look. "And you have no one to blame but yourself."

Tears threatened to fall from her face as she pulled herself away from him. She had nothing to counter that with. Everything that has happened was because of her. She turned her back to him, face in her hand as she struggled to contain her emotions and figure something out. It was all falling apart, slipping from her fingers.

"…That being said…"

Slowly, Annie found herself turning around to face him. Was he really...?

"You need me to save your father, and I need to save my family... so here's my one-time, nonnegotiable deal," Dillon said, feeling in control. "I'll help you save your father... but you're going to do something for me."

"Which is?" she was almost afraid to ask.

"We're going to take a brief trip to Shiganshina, and get whatever's in Eren's basement. I've been in his mind before, so I remember what his house looks like. Then, we're going to return to Wall Rose and either kill or capture your comrades."

"And how do you propose we do the latter?" Annie asked, her annoyance clear. Just when she thought he was seeing reason, he proves her wrong. "I've probably been reported MIA and you're more than likely presumed among the dead. We can't just appear out of the blue. And, as I mentioned, those two won't come quietly. They will fight."

"And you want to infiltrate a freaking country that you haven't been to in the past five years," he reminded her simply.

She opened her mouth to retort... and then closed it when he realized he had a point _._ She scowled and looked away, her displeasure apparent. "Are you planning for us to hide from the military?"

"I'll think of something," he replied. "I still have a few mental connections that I can use to my advantage. Once they are dead or incapacitated, I'll give the Scouts whatever was in the damn basement, and then I'll help you with your father."

"…Is that all?" There were faults in the plan that, despite how much she wanted to address them now, decided that it would be wise not to push her luck.

"No." Dillon looked right into her steely, blue eyes that he used to love. "After I save your father, after we get him out of that place... I walk away. I go home, and we _never_ see each other again!"

The words hit Annie like a ton of bricks. She felt them blowing the wind from her lungs and cracking the walls she spent most of last night making to keep her feelings locked away. She looked into his eyes and she could see it. The fire was back now that his purpose had returned, but there was anger and repulse in them at full force. "…Then what's the point?" she asked, her throat dried up.

"Everything you've ever done has been because of your father," he explained, his gaze never leaving her. "You'll get what you've always wanted… but you'll never have me again."

"That didn't answer my question... what's the point of me doing it if I don't have you?"

"Because you get to spend the rest of your life with your father when this is over," Dillon stated. "Unless you're willing to let everything you've done up to this point be for nothing."

"You're not getting it!" she said, standing up so quickly the chair fell. "If I don't have you then it's for nothing anyway!"

"...Then I guess we have nothing more to talk about."

"Then you don't get to help your people."

That blunt statement got his attention immediately. Dillon glared at her for a moment, wanting to lash out, but he knew that she was right. Obviously, she didn't care whether they died at this point. "...So, I get to help my people, and you get a lifelong prisoner?"

"You always said you'd be willing to give your life for the good of humanity," she said simply.

"And what would stop me from killing myself the moment we save your father?"

"You're not a coward."

He clenched his fists, knowing there was nothing he could do. No matter how hard he tried, there'd be no way to help humanity outside of becoming stuck with Annie for the rest of his life. Coming to a decision, he said, "Fine. I'll be your precious possession."

"Good... hopefully, it'll get better over time."

"Doubt it..." He muttered, his stomach growled noisily to remind him that he hadn't eaten in a couple of days. Not to mention the lack of water on top of that.

Without a word, she reached down and pulled a knife from her boot before moving to sever the knots.

Dillon took notice that it was the same knife that he had given her for her birthday back in Training. He remembered how he was afraid of how she would take it, how Sasha nearly got herself killed trying to snag the date from Annie, and how he was rewarded with a genuine smile. Unfortunately, every memory of Annie was replaced by that skinless abomination he feared and hated. Annie was dead, and in her place was a stranger.

With the last knot removed, Annie put some distance between them. Enough for him to move, but also enough for her to react if she needed to.

He massaged his wrists as he stood, feeling like his entire body fell asleep, but he fought through it. Unfortunately, the injuries really took a toll on his bodies. Scratches and bruises seemed to weigh him down, and that migraine never ceased to leave him alone. If he was back in the Walls, he would probably be marched to the infirmary, but luxuries like that would have to wait.

He nearly jumped when a ration bar landed on the bed followed by a canteen.

"Thirty minutes," Annie said before walking out and slamming the door behind her.

Letting out a sigh, Dillon took a few sips of water. His sore throat welcomed the liquid that would rejuvenate him for the time being. He made sure not to drink too much for the future. As he unwrapped the ration bar, which resembled a giant cracker, his thoughts drifted to the blonde menace. He could only imagine how much he shattered her with his words, turning his back on her like that. In the end, however, she brought it upon herself. She was a liar, a murderer, and a traitor, and his sympathy had run out.

Before he could take a bite, though, there was a sound coming from beneath the floor. It was soft and muffled, but he could still hear it. He listened closely and slowly recognized what that was: sobs. Annie was actually crying, something he never dreamed was possible. Pain shot through his body, yet it wasn't because of the injuries. His fist clenched so hard, his fingernails were digging in and leaving marks. Why did she have to make things so difficult for him? Why couldn't things have been simple? Dillon knew that he was doing what he had to for the sake of the people within these Walls, but it was starting to hurt him. For once, he hesitated blaming Annie for that.

* * *

 **Editor's note: I am sorry for how late this one came out. Life has been very hectic for me lately, and the fight scene in this chapter ate up a lot of the time I was able to devote to this. All in all, though, I'm satisfied with the product (otherwise I wouldn't have submitted it to the authors for posting). I hope you are as well.**

 **Author's Note: The chapters, from here on out, are going to be harder to write, but I hope that what ends up getting produced you all will enjoy. Until next time.**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: I apologize for the delay. Hopefully, this chapter will make up for it.**

* * *

Chapter 3: Unraveled Secrets

(Scout Headquarters)

Eren Yeager felt like his entire world was unraveling at the seams. It was bad enough that yesterday, he suffered a humiliating defeat by the Female Titan. It was bad enough to learn that said Titan was a human working with the Titans to destroy humanity. Now, the commander pointed his finger at the last person he ever expected to be the Titan in question. The only way this situation could be worse is if Titans broke in and devoured everybody. At this point, it was a possibility.

"You… you think it's Annie?" he asked, looking around him. "Where's your evidence? Tell me!"

"Obviously, the Female Titan knew what you looked like before she attacked," Armin replied quietly. The truth was painful for him as well. "Plus, she reacted to my use of your 'Suicidal Maniac' nickname, something only our classmates would know. Another reason to suspect her is that I have a strong reason to believe she's the one who killed Sonny and Bean."

Eren vaguely remembered the two Titans the Scouts had captured for study, but it wasn't enough to sway him. "You're kind of going out on a limb there."

"Killing two Titans at once required a precision ODM strike. It only makes sense that the killer would've used the gear they were most familiar with."

"But there was that whole equipment inspection," he protested. "Annie's totally checked out."

"Except the gear she presented… well, it… it wasn't hers. It was Marco's."

Eren's breath hitched at that revelation and opened his mouth to speak, but he was interrupted.

"You son of a bitch."

Eyes widening, Armin found himself staring face-to-face with an angry Jean, who had murder in his eyes.

"You knew," he accused. "You knew this whole time… and you didn't say anything?"

"Jean, I didn't know what it meant at the time," Armin replied nervously.

"The hell you didn't!" Jean exclaimed, looking ready to strangle him. "If you said something sooner-!"

"Get a hold of yourself before I throw you out," Levi threatened coolly. "We get it. You're pissed off. We all are, but vent your anger somewhere else. There's no place for it here." Reluctantly, Jean backed down. "Yes, sir."

The captain's gaze traveled to Eren. "Since you're still trapped in doubt, allow me to free you: this morning, I went to Stohess and discovered Annie Leonhart was reported as MIA. Her roommate was questioned, and, as it turns out, Leonhart requested said roommate to cover her on the day of the Expedition, claiming to have a 'date with a fifteen-meter Titan."'

Eren desperately tried to find a hole in that evidence, but he couldn't see one.

Levi's eyes narrowed as he went in for the kill. "Dillon Amsdale was her romantic partner, Eren. Is it truly a coincidence that he went missing after the Female Titan ran away? Is it truly a coincidence that after killing his entire squad, she started sparing as many soldiers as she could? If you have a better theory that doesn't involve your emotions getting in the way, I'm all ears."

Nothing. There was nothing he could say to counter those statements. The evidence was overwhelming. All he could manage was a quiet, simple, "Why would she do this?"

"The only way we find that answer is if we capture her allies," Erwin answered. "Eyewitness reports of the Armored and Colossal Titans lead to a strong possibility of them being Titan Shifters as well. We're looking into possible candidates, but for now, our primary concern is the next step for the Scouting Regiment." His eyes met Eren's. "Handing you over to the Military Police is out of the question, so the only other option is to keep you out of their hands."

"But that means you'll be committing treason," Eren realized, his eyes widening further.

"And that is a step we are willing to take," he stated. "This action alone could lead to the annihilation of the Scouting Regiment, but your survival is far too important than that."

 _How could things have escalated so quickly?_ Eren asked himself, finding himself without a voice. _This is my fault. If I had just defeated her, none of this would be happening._

"How much time do we have before they come after us?" Mikasa wondered.

"Until tomorrow, but there is a way to buy you some time," Erwin informed her. "The capital is expecting myself and Levi to be present at the hand-off, so we'll be there to keep up appearances. However, we will need someone to disguise himself as Eren Yeager to keep up the ruse. After careful consideration, we have selected Jean Kirstein to stand in for you."

All eyes went to the brown-haired teen, who was trying to keep a neutral expression. However, they could see in his eyes the weight that was going to be put on his shoulders.

"But we look nothing alike," Eren protested suddenly.

"You have similar mannerisms," Erwin pointed out. "He won't hold under scrutiny, but it will be enough for you to get away."

Armin dreaded the question that was desperately wanting to exit his mouth, but he allowed it through. "What's going to happen to you three?"

"It doesn't matter," the commander answered bluntly. "From here on out, the three of us will not be your concern. We'll adapt to whatever situation befalls us. Section Commander Hanji will be in charge for the time being. Don't let her excitement over Titans throw you. She is capable of handling things while we are gone."

Eren shook his head, overwhelmed by this entire situation. Jean was going to be sacrificed to the Military Police, Erwin and Levi would probably be arrested if not outright executed, and the entire Scout Regiment would be hunted. All because of him. Briefly glancing over at Mikasa and Armin, it was apparent they felt the same way: that things were spiraling so quickly.

Seeing the turmoil, Erwin finally decided to give them what they needed. "This meeting is concluded. I wish you all the best of luck."

Silently, the four cadets exited the meeting room, and proceeded to their quarters. It was an awkward silence between them all, mostly because Jean was there. What could the say to him after all that?

Surprisingly, Jean broke the silence. "They didn't tell me any details of where you guys are going, so you don't have to worry about me talking."

"That's not what we're worried about," Armin stated, looking over at him. "The minute they find out you're not Eren, they're going to kill you."

"It has to be done, Armin," he replied gravely. "I'm not crazy about this, either, but it's either my ass gets handed over to them, or we'll all screwed."

"Why are you doing this?" Eren asked. "The Jean I knew wouldn't even think of giving himself up for me."

"The Jean you knew died in Trost. I don't want everyone to die, so I have to do this." He stopped in his tracks, looking down. "But… son of a bitch, I don't want to do this."

The last time Eren had heard Jean this scared was in Trost, when the Titans got in. He could only imagine how badly he was really doing. It made him truly sympathize with him and... grateful that he was doing this for him.

Not wanting to show his weaknesses, Jean stalked past them towards his quarters without looking back once.

"All I wanted to do was protect humanity," Eren said quietly. "I thought that since I had this power, I could do that… and now, they want me dead."

"Eren, don't blame yourself," Mikasa chided, walking over to him. "It's not your fault this is happening."

"In the end, humanity will know the truth about you," Armin hoped. "You are the best hope we have of surviving."

"I couldn't beat Annie," he replied with a clenched fist. "How the hell am I going to beat the others?"

"Do what we were trained to do," Mikasa answered. "Find their weaknesses and destroy them." She wrapped her arm around his shoulder, guiding him down the corridor. "Come on. You need to eat."

Eren rolled his eyes at her concern, but for once, he couldn't bring himself to protest it.

* * *

There were things in life Dillon knew he would have to deal with that he wouldn't like. A drill instructor that labeled him Sina Brat and broke his nose on the first day was one such example. Another one was the corrupt Military Police that bended and broke the law just for their own pleasures. All of that paled in comparison to having to stand on the shoulder of the Female Titan as she made her run for Shiganshina, holding onto her hair in order not to fall off.

Obviously, this was the only way they could make it there quickly. Annie had given him the ODM gear she had stolen for his sake as well as the fact she didn't need it anymore. Not when she could easily run there. Naturally, he had threatened to give her hell if she tried putting him in her mouth again. That was an experience that he would never repeat if he could help it. So, her shoulder was where he ended up in order for her to run as fast as she could without any interference.

Every now and then, he would look to her, a tinge of hatred in his eyes. The Female Titan. This horrible creature that dared to exist. How effortless it was for her to slaughter humans. How much delight she took when his friend begged for his life. She was sickening, and he wanted to rip her apart for all the terrible things she had done. Unfortunately for him, Annie was the Female Titan, so he would end up killing her.

That line of thought briefly took him to a dark place. It would be so easy to kill her once he made it back home, back to the people who truly cared about him. There was no reason to follow through with the deal once his own terms were met. A brain blast here, a cut nape there, and a dead traitor as a result. Then, he could finally live his life the way he needed to, as a soldier for humanity, not as the possession of a sadistic, selfish bitch. It was so tempting, so enticing, and so… messed up.

Dillon let out a frustrated sigh. It was all getting to him, making him consider going down a road he would never come back from. And yet, it seemed like the logical option. Why deprive his people of a valuable asset? Then again, Annie was clever, and she probably had a backup plan in case he _did_ try something, and it was very possible a lot of people would get killed as a result. Not to mention the fact that he made a deal with her. If he broke it, he'd be no better than she was. With all this in mind, the dark thoughts of killing her started to ebb. Normally, he would be worried that she would detect his lingering thoughts, but his mental shields were up as high as he could manage.

Of course, something he was concerned about was the danger of Titans. He was still recovering from his fight with Annie, so he was far from being in a good enough condition to fight. Naturally, his warden had told him earlier if there was an encounter, grapple to a high point and watch her tear them apart. So far, there hadn't been any sign of the monsters, which was good for the moment, but it was highly possible for a horde to swarm them.

For two hours, outside the loud stomping her running made, there was silence between the two. Dillon had considered questioning the Female Titan about the country that wanted him and his people dead, who the other Shifters were, and a whole slew of things that were bubbling up in his mind. However, he decided to wait until they got to the basement. There would be plenty of time to get the truth out of her, especially once they found what Grisha Yeager had been hiding from humanity this whole time.

As the sun began to dip in the horizon (where had the time gone, he wondered), the sparse villages began turning into towns, giving Dillon a good look at the abandoned buildings. He noticed more than a few homes had gigantic holes in them, with no mystery as to why that was the case. To his left, there was a canal that led straight to the wall that surrounded Shiganshina. Even the Female Titan began slowing down the moment she saw it. There was a giant hole where a gate once stood courtesy of the Armored Titan, debris practically fading into the grass.

Just looking at it made Dillon's blood boil. These monsters destroyed so much, killed so many innocent people all because of a mission they undertook. By choice or not, he could never forgive them for that. They did this, and they would face the consequences.

* * *

This was the last place Annie wanted to be, back where it all began. She called the Titans here with her power, and even though she had passed out from overexertion, she saw the results of her actions in the refugee camps. Brokenness surrounded her. From the children to the elderly, their lives had been unfairly destroyed. Despite the pain she saw, though, it wasn't enough to deter her or her comrades from their mission. Wishing she could take it all back was meaningless. All that mattered was fulfilling her end of the bargain and going home.

She approached the hole in the wall, sniffing carefully. _**"Titans are still here,"**_ she observed.

"How close?" Dillon questioned with a growl in his tone.

 _ **"A few blocks away,"**_ she inferred, stepping through the opening slowly.

For the first time in their lives, they finally saw Shiganshina. What was once a bustling district for people to live in was now a desolate ghost town. The buildings around them, large and small, were destroyed by the Titans looking for a meal, and slowly rotting away with time. Even after five years, the smell of death still filled the air, making Annie certain that there were bodies, or what was left of them, still there.

For a brief moment, Annie glanced over at Dillon, who's expression went from anger to horror at the sight. Trost was nothing compared to the destruction of Shiganshina. Unlike Trost, there wasn't a Titan Shifter that came to help them. All anyone could've done that day was run or die. They were alone with the monsters who showed not a single shred of mercy as they devoured man, woman, and child. He was unable to look away from the destruction, almost as if he was in a trance.

She couldn't blame him for his reaction, but there was no time for this. _**"Dillon!"**_ she called out to him firmly, snapping him out of it. _**"Stay focused."**_

He slowly faced her, and, along with his usual glare, there was murder in his eyes. He saw the true devastation the Titans had caused, and he was staring at one of the three people who caused this to happen. Her own eyes narrowed into a warning look. Like Eren, Dillon had the tendency to act out emotionally, and she knew the direction he was starting to head in. If he wanted to fight her, she was prepared to beat him into the ground once more.

For the second time in her life, Annie found herself thankful for the sounds of footsteps approaching them.

Rounding a corner were three Titans in the twelve-meter to fifteen range, looking at her with dead eyes and frozen smiles, each one a different shape of fat or thin that would look absolutely disgusting were they human. Despite looking like one of them, they could sense that she was a human in a Titan's body. It wouldn't bode well if she came this far just to get eaten by these mindless beasts.

 _ **"Do you know where the basement is?"**_ she questioned, steeling herself for a fight.

"I'll know the area when I see it," Dillon answered.

 _ **"Go,"**_ she commanded, placing him on a rooftop. _**"I'll keep these bastards busy."**_

"Fine by me." Without even a glance back, he took off, staying out of the Titans' reach. Taking a deep breath, the Female Titan took her stance, fists raised.

The trio of Titans lunged at her, moving as if they were puppets attached to strings. Once the first one was in range, Annie hardened her foot and performed a lunging kick to the Titans chest, nearly busting through its weak flesh. The Titan flew backwards, tripping up the other two in the process, but she refused to give them time to recover. Her hand hardening next, she bent down and tore the nape out of the skinnier one, tossing the disgusting flesh aside. The second Titan, however, managed to sink its jaws into her arm, eliciting a roar of pain from her. He was fat and heavy, and pulled on her with all of his massive weight. Still, it didn't stop Annie from unhinging her own jaw and sinking it into its nape. The taste buds of her Titan form ignited, making her almost dizzy with elation. It had been far too long since the last time she tasted the blood of a Titan. Sweet, yet sickening. She yanked the lifeless Titan off her arm, dropping it to the ground as she moved to her final opponent, whose chest was nearly healed.

Just as she was about to advance on the Titan, another roar caught her attention. Listening carefully, she heard more stomps heading towards her position. Her eyes widened when she came to a horrifying conclusion: this place was still infested with Titan hordes. Sure enough, a seven-meter plowed through a building and tackled her to the ground, mouth watering with anticipation. A hardened fist to the skull sent it flying, but that was the least of her worries. From all sides, she was surrounded by at least seven Titans, all of which were converging on her. Getting to her feet, Annie readied herself for the attack. Just like the humans, they were insignificant compared to the might of the Female Titan.

* * *

 _Where is it?_ Dillon asked himself repeatedly as he glided through the city. The buildings he saw looked alike, making it nearly impossible to find what he was looking for. Coming to a stop on a rooftop, he closed his eyes as he searched his own memories for Eren's. It wasn't hard to find, given the traumatizing nature of it. The problem was having to see those dreadful images, though he knew he had no choice. The memory gained accidentally all those years ago was proving invaluable.

Ignoring the Smiling Titan, no matter how hard that task was, he focused solely on the house and its surroundings. For starters, there were stairs leading up to it, so that was something. That being said, stairs were coming in the Shiganshina district. Then, he caught something that would narrow down his options: a large piece of debris had fallen on the house. He had a feeling that was thanks to the Colossal Titan's efforts.

A growl brought him out of his thoughts as he spotted a ten-meter and a fifteen-meter looking at him with hungry, soulless eyes. Instantly, he grappled away from the beasts, but fate had it out for him once more as the tanks ran out of gas. He let out a gasp as the momentum propelled him onto a wooden rooftop that nearly broke upon impact. A pained groan left his lips as he sported new injuries, however he had thankfully landed on his back.

Dillon had little time to recover as the Titans came for him once more. The fifteen-meter attempted a body slam and he barely jumped onto the ground in time as the house was completely demolished. Drawing his swords, he slashed the hand of the ten-meter that reached out for him, cutting off its fingers. He dove through the gap between his legs before going at the Achilles' Heel, slashing it apart. As expected, the Titan fell, giving Dillon the chance to climb on and run for its nape after replenishing his blades. It started to get up, but the blacksmith delivered two, precise strikes on the back of its neck, killing it. The blood that erupted from its fatal wound hit him in the face, leaving him temporarily blind.

Suddenly, before he could rectify the issue, the fifteen-meter's hand wrapped around him, trapping him in its iron grip. It squeezed so tightly, Dillon thought his insides were going to burst. As the blood turned into steam, allowing him to see again (albeit it a bit painfully), the teen found himself staring at the open jaw of the Titan. Panic nearly overtook him as he was pulled closer to its mouth, reminding him when the Female Titan did the same thing to him. Pleas falling on depth ears, nearly being drowned in saliva, trapped behind giant teeth, it was a nightmare.

Letting out a yell that was a mixture of rage and terror, Dillon launched a strong, mental attack on the monster's mind. Blood gushed out from its ears and eyes as it roared in pain. The Titan's grip loosening, the teen pulled himself out and jumped onto another rooftop. With the Titan's back turned to him, it gave Dillon the opportunity he needed. With a flash of his eyes, his blades detached from the hilts and zoomed towards a nape. A single slash from them ended its life as it fell backwards in a lifeless heap.

Panting heavily, Dillon nearly collapsed, but he knew he couldn't. Not when he needed to find the house. For once, a stroke of good fortune hit him as, from his vantage point, he could see a house a few blocks away with a large piece of debris on it. For all he knew, it was another house, but he had to know for sure. Ignoring his body's protests, Dillon slowly made his way towards it.

* * *

Every cell of The Female's body felt like it was on fire. She had honestly expected the town to be desolate, as there were no people around for the Titans to devour. But these Titans, they were a persistent bunch of bastards. One died, another came to fight her. And now, after nearly using all the skills that she had, after what felt like hours, their numbers were finally starting to dwindle, and the decomposing bodies rose in numbers. She suppressed the urge to tell Dillon to hurry up. She highly doubted his reply would be a kind one.

" _Annie, I made it to the house. Come on!"_ Dillon stated finally.

 ** _"Give me a moment,"_** she replied, just as curtly as his words. No, not words. _Orders._ She had enough of those to last her a lifetime. The anger that filtered through her seeped into her muscles, giving her strength, and she attacked.

Surging forward, she ducked under the groping hand of a thirteen meter and clasped its right shoulder with her hand. She spun it around, the Titan now in front of her and bending forward, and her hand reached out to tear its nape out. Throwing the dead beast away, she raised her leg and gave the next Titan a front kick, sending it to its back. Acting fast, she rolled it into its front before leaning down to rip its nape away with her mouth. Its blood boiled in her mouth, giving her that taste one last time.

As her final victim begun to dissolve away under her, Annie rose and made her way to Eren's home, which wasn't too far away. A light jog brought her there quickly as she came upon the ruined home of Eren Yeager. This was where he had lost his mother thanks to them, and where he watched her die. A pang of guilt coursed through her body, but that vanished when she saw Dillon, who was sitting in front of the house. There were new injuries on his body along with blood that was turning into steam.

" _ **Dillon, are you all right?"**_ she asked worriedly as she knelt to his level.

"Yeah," he replied as he managed to stand. "I just needed a moment."

Annie sighed in annoyance at his stubbornness, but there was no point in trying address it. They had a job to do. Glancing to her left, she saw the basement entrance covered in large pieces of wreckage that human hands couldn't move. With little effort, she lifted the wreckage and tossed it to the side with a loud smash.

"…Thanks," Dillon said.

For a moment, she thought she imagined it, but her ears didn't lie. _**"No problem,"**_ she decided to respond with.

Silently, she hardened and sharpened the fingers of her right hand into claws and raised them to her nape. They cut through her flesh easily, encircling her human form before she bristly tugged herself free. Forceful disconnection from her Titan form was never a pleasant experience, especially with the headaches such detachments caused, but years of training made such pain easy to overcome. Annie was aware of The Female Titan's body toppling to the side, her right-hand landing on the ground with her inside a cocoon of scalding flesh.

The words that came out of Dillon's mouth took her off guard further. "Annie, are you okay?" he asked as he approached her cautiously.

Though her tongue felt thick, heavy and useless in her mouth, she managed to get out and through her surprise, "I'm fine." She felt rather than saw him come to a halt and gave herself a reminder of her human body. She remembered the muscles in her arms, in her legs and her chest. With an inhale, she threw her arms aside and her cocoon split apart and The Female's fingers shattered. She got to her feet, stretching.

Shielding himself from the flying gore, Dillon was nauseated by the sight, but then he noticed something. "Annie, your face."

Ah, yes, the scars. The facial markings left when leaving her Titan form, flame like patterns around her eyes. She rolled her shoulders, saying blankly, "I get them whenever I leave my Titan form. Don't worry, it's normal among Shifters."

He sighed, shaking his head and descending into the basement. "Let's find out what Grisha was hiding."

Annie followed him, keeping a small distance between them. She gave a near inaudible sigh through her nose. "My comrades and I planned to come here, once we had Eren, to see just what kind of secrets his father had.

"Why? So you could destroy them?" he questioned.

"So we could bring them to our superiors," she answered evenly.

He let out a snort, but he pressed onwards.

They reached the end of the stairs and went down a dirt tunnel, lined with wooden support beams. Annie had to give Mr. Yeager credit; he chose a suitable house to keep secrets in. It wasn't long before they came upon a large door that was rotting away like the rest of the house.

A quick psychic blast to the lock and the door was open, dislodging any of the spider webs attached to it. Inside had three things that immediately came to sight. A desk consisting of a lamp, a scale, and a few drawers, a bookcase filled to the brim with books, and a cabinet area with many vials and labels for several types of medicine.

"No question about it," Dillon said as he stepped inside. "Definitely a place for a doctor."

Annie gave the room a quick one over. "I was expecting something a bit more interesting," she murmured, eying the bookcase with disdain.

"You think he would be stupid enough to leave the secrets out in the open?"

"If his son was anything to go by..." She trailed off deliberately.

"If you recall, Grisha cured an epidemic that was in Shiganshina," he told her, staring at the medicines. "He's not an idiot by any means."

She'd admit, she had forgotten that. She looked around the place, trying to logically think where one would hide something. Her blue eyes fell to the desk. It wouldn't hurt to examine the obvious. "Try the desk."

"Right." He examined the desk very carefully. Three of the drawers were empty, but the top one had a flintlock that was more than likely too rusty to be used. He looked around the desk and found what he was looking for: a keyhole on the side. "I found it."

She stepped forward and took a look for herself. The moment had finally arrived, after all this time. "This is it," was the only thing that she could think to say.

Concentrating, he unlocked the secret drawer with his mind, carefully pulling it out. At first glance, it was empty, but the two knew better. Immediately, Dillon removed the false bottom and came upon three books with a peculiar smell. "Charcoal and peppermint oil," he identified.

"Only way to preserve the books." Annie reached down and picked up the first book. As she did, something thin slipped through the pages and fell to the ground.

Dillon quickly picked it up, but what he saw had his eyes widen. "What the hell? How is this possible?"

It was a picture, but unlike anything the people in the Walls had ever seen. Whereas the pictures here were made by paint or the pen, this one looked completely accurate to how people were supposed to look like in real life despite being in black and white. The picture in question consisted of three people, a family. The father, clearly a younger Grisha, stood with a neutral expression and a well-designed suit. The mother was a blonde-haired woman Annie didn't recognize sitting in a chair. Her dress was descent and she at least tried to smile. The toddler in her lap, on the other hand, caught Annie by surprise. Blonde hair and piercing eyes. Very young, but the piercing stare was unmistakable.

"War Chief Zeke," she identified quietly.

"Who?"

She pointed at the child. "I know him. He's one of my superiors." Zeke had always put on a brotherly front, of pretending to care about the young warriors in the program. He often asked questions, made sure everyone was alright. He had tried talking to her a few times, before he understood that she didn't like people. But from the interactions she had observed, the man was always quiet about his own family. She felt no shame in saying, "I'm such a fool for not realizing it."

Dillon thought that he couldn't be hit with any more surprises that topped Annie being a traitor and the fact humanity wasn't on the brink of extinction, but this was another thing entirely. "Eren's brother."

"A half-brother, with a few years on him." Annie felt compelled to say. "That woman... she almost looks like Krista."

Dillon didn't know what to think as he stared at the life-like portrait. There were so many questions, but he didn't know where to start.

Annie noticed, and decided to answer what she presumed to be one of them. "It's called a photograph. They're common place where I come from."

"So Grisha came from that place, too," he reasoned quietly.

"So it seems," Annie muttered. "That would explain, somewhat, how Eren got the Attack Titan."

"How? How does one even become a Titan Shifter?"

Annie grimaced, suddenly picturing a locked door in her head. "Do you really want to know?"

"Yes," he answered, staring at her.

"...No."

"No?" he repeated, surprised.

"You don't." She gave him a hard stare. "You really, _really_ don't want to know."

"There's nothing you can say that will make me more disgusted," he stated coldly. "Trust me."

Annie wasn't sure what hurt more. His loathing or the pounding from the other side of the door that contained her emotions. She looked away, face set.

He scoffed. "Of course, you go quiet. Why should I have expected anything more from you?"

She glared at him, ignoring the ghost emotions of maternal love and morbid pride before nothingness. Damn it, the door to her emotions was becoming frail. "Has it even occurred to you that _maybe_ there are something I don't want to talk about? Painful things that I don't even want to tell you, even if none of _this_ had happened?"

Dillon wanted to shoot back, to continue his trend of making Annie sink lower and lower in life, but his conscious stopped him, telling him that enough was enough. He got what he wanted with Annie, making her feel like a wretched human being. Now, he was just beating a dead horse. However, he didn't expect this to come out of his mouth. "I'm sorry. That was uncalled for."

She should be the one saying that, but apologies were meaningless. They wouldn't sponge the blood off her hands. "Forget it." She walked past him, to the entrance. "Let's get this to the Scouts. Yeager's reaction just might make the trip worth it."

"We're not leaving," Dillon stated.

She stopped. "What?"

"You're tired," he explained, closing the door. "It'll be a few hours before nightfall. We'll leave when the Titans can't move."

Annie couldn't deny that she could do with a few hours rest. So, she nodded stiffly. "Alright then."

"Besides, I have other questions that need answering before we go through these books," he added, sitting down in the nearest chair. "Like who the other Titan Shifters are."

She remained standing, staring down at him with a touch of incredulousness. "Seriously? We've just uncovered a major discovery and you're asking me _that_ now?"

"Where there are no distractions or other pressing matters? Yes," he stated, doing his best to control his temper. "Who are they, Annie?"

Annie weighed her options. How much she could lose by telling him the truth? By telling him, she would only be putting them at risk. However, she then remembered that she had abandoned the mission, so their lives were already forfeit. And one of them had it coming, so... "The Armored Titan is Reiner, and the Colossal Titan is Bertholdt."

"Those two?" he growled, remembering the interactions he had with them. Reiner had been friendly and like a big brother to the team, while Bertholdt was more reserved. However, it began to make sense when he remembered the Colossal Titan targeted him specifically, mostly because he also remembered the tall boy being a jealous prick. Dillon let out a mirthless chuckle. "Of course. It just had to be more of our comrades that happen to be them." He looked up at Annie, depressed and feeling like another segment of his soul was gone. "Are there anymore Titan Shifters in our squad pretending to be on our side, pretending to be our friends secretly planning the destruction of everyone here that I don't know about? Jean? Krista? Sasha? Who else, Annie?"

"I told you there were four of us."

He had forgotten about that detail. "And where's the fourth?"

Annie's smile was sad and tired. "He's dead."

Dillon couldn't believe that she was smiling at that statement. "The hell are you smiling about?"

Of course, he'd see it as something morbid. He really did hate her, didn't he? "His name was Marcel Galliard. He was our leader. He was... a good person. He didn't deserve to die the way he did."

"How?"

A heavy sigh left Annie and she sat down before him, head hung slightly. "He was eaten by a Titan, whilst saving Reiner." Anger creased the space between her thin brows. "Not that the little shit was worth saving. Everything Marcel did, he did for a complete coward."

"Reiner? A coward?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Everything you think you know about Reiner is a lie, a fabrication," she explained.

"I kind of got that when you told me he was the Armored Titan."

She shook her head. "No, Dillon. I'm saying the _person_ he acts like is a lie."

He raised an eyebrow at her, confused. "Annie, that doesn't make any sense."

"I know, it's-" A frustrated breath left her, a hand running through her hair. "It's _difficult_ to explain, even I don't understand it much myself. It would require me talking about everything that happened. From our training to the moments before and after Marcel died."

Dillon held his hand up. "All right. All right. We'll save that for later." He took one of the other books and opened it up, trying to see if he could find anything useful or interesting. They had time to kill. A couple of page turnings later, he recoiled when he saw something.

She noticed. "What is it?"

A blush came on his face, handing the book to her. "Apparently, Grisha had some free time on his hands."

"So?"

"Maybe you should check that book, and I'll check this one," Dillon suggested, taking another one.

Annie eyed him oddly before looking herself.

It was a sketch of woman. She was in what looked like a battlefield, fire framing her and warriors before her, and she was beautiful. The sketched involved the woman roughly as big as The Female Titan, maybe taller, though looking completely normal. She had long hair that she believed was meant to be blonde, judging by the lack of shading. Her cheeks were thin, and her lips were full, the face of a woman who'd catch every man's heart. And she was utterly nude. Her breasts were supple, her thighs firm, and she was drawn in a crouch. There was enough space between the men before her, and between her crouched legs, that it was impossible for anyone to miss the… obvious.

Annie looked to Dillon and she felt her lips curl into a smile. The same smile he had worn when she had teased Eren about talking to girls. This was just too good to pass up.

"What?" he asked

"It's a pretty good drawing, isn't it?" Her voice was light with mirth.

"It's a giant, naked woman, Annie," he said, his blush increasing with every word. "Look, I don't know what kind of stuff Grisha was into, but that was something I didn't need to know about." _And he left that for his own_ son _to find? The hell was wrong with him?_

She continued as though he hadn't said anything. "He clearly did this after he had sex with his wife. I mean, the detail is _phenomenal._ " She let a small pause grow, before flatly adding: "Especially for her vagina."

His eyes nearly bulged out of his sockets as he gave her the most hilarious, 'What the hell?' expression she had ever seen.

Annie couldn't help herself, a light laughter leaving her lips. She knew it totally ruined her image, but she didn't care.

In response,Dillon narrowed his eyes, mumbling, "You're too funny."

"What?" She spread her hands innocently. "Come on, Dillon, all girls have them." Her smile became impish and her voice suggestive. "I do, in case you've forgotten."

He knew that all too well. A fond memory, tarnished like the others. It made him feel dirty and unclean thinking about the night. "Yeah, I remember," he growled, stalking towards her and snatching the book out of her hands. "Thanks for the reminder."

And just like that, the humor shriveled up and died. In an attempt to get back at him a little bit for being an asshole to her, it backfired as her mind drifted to that night. So vulnerable they were when they made love. Dillon had no idea what he was doing, and he was even anxious. Annie was anxious as well, but she was at least there to guide and calm him down when he needed it. No matter how much they wished it right now, they could never take back that night.

"You recognized her," he stated once the silence had gone on long enough.

"Yes. That's Ymir Fritz," she identified.

"So, I guess Grisha believed in this First Titan, too?"

"Most likely. What do his books say?"

"Let me see." Averting his eyes from the drawing, he muttered to himself about the contradictory details surrounding the legend of Ymir Fritz as he turned the pages, but then his eyes widened when he got to a certain detail. "The Curse of Ymir?"

Instantly,Annie's heart froze in her chest. Why didn't she keep that away from him? Of course it would be in that book.

He began reading the passage carefully, shocked by what he found.

"… _And in order for the power to be passed on to another, a pure Titan must devour one of the Nine. Once digested, the Titan receives the power and can return to their human state, but after thirteen years, the Curse of Ymir will claim their lives. If one of the Nine dies without being eaten, the power will fall upon an Eldian child. Thus, the cycle continues…"_

"How much time do you have?" he asked quietly, closing the book.

And there it was. "Six years."

What could be said after that revelation? That Annie actually ate a human being, that she was going to die? And that she didn't have a choice in the matter? It put more into perspective at how horrible her life was. She really was forced into it, and there was no way out for her. It made sense to why she was so possessive of her father, of him. She was running out of time.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"Say again?" Annie asked, unable to hide the surprise in her tone. Of all the things she was expecting, him apologizing wasn't one of them.

"I'm sorry for what happened to you, what will happen to you," he elaborated.

"Thank you," she replied softly.

He sighed, sitting down against the wall. "Why couldn't Ymir have just died with the Titan power?"

Annie remained where she was, deciding that was the best course of action. " If it were that easy, no one in this world would suffer."

 _So much truth in those words._ He shook his head, deciding to call it quits for a while. Enough was enough. "Get some rest, Annie. We'll leave before the sun comes back."

Tomorrow would be a new day with all new troubles. He didn't know what was going to happen, but he prayed that things would go smoothly between them and the Scouts. For once, he was glad that his parents wouldn't be there when he returned. They would make it nearly impossible to leave, and defying Annie would be a grave mistake.


End file.
